And Other Rivers of Egypt
by Soft Light
Summary: While on a mission with SG-1, Daniel and Vala are persuaded to take place in a special ritual held in honor of the local customs that neither of them really understand, and which will change the nature of their relationship forever.
1. Chapter 1

**Title**: And Other Rivers of Egypt, Part I  
**Author:** Soft Light  
**Category:** AU, Daniel/Vala  
**Rating**: MA (for later chapters)  
**Spoilers:** Sometime during or after season ten. Definitely before the events of _The Ark of Truth_.  
**Content Warning**: This fic is not accurate in any way. Words I would use to describe it: contrived, stupid, an excuse for fluff and smut. I know nothing about the military - not even the fake military - and even less about space ships and alien anthropology. Cliches and fantasy abound. So. With that in mind:  
**Disclaimer:** Not mine, don't sue. Yadda yadda. Do I even need this thing?

**P4X-543, Fifteen Hundred Hours**

They'd been walking for hours. Telemetry had indicated the presence of advanced life-forms on the planet, and it was SG-1's mission to make contact, hopefully in a peaceful fashion. Then again, that was always the plan, and it never seemed to work out in practice as well as it sounded in theory. As Cam was fond of saying, "Shit happens." In the case of P4X-453, though, it wasn't so much a case of shit happening as it was a baking sun, dwindling rations, and aching feet. None of them had expected they'd have to wander so far from the gate in order to find the planet's inhabitants. If this kept going for much longer, it wouldn't be long before their allotted 24 hours were up and they'd have to turn right back around and check back in with Stargate Command.

Daniel Jackson sighed in relief as Colonel Mitchell called for a break. But his sigh of relief quickly turned into one of resignation as the still-cheerful and somehow not-exhausted Vala Mal Doran plopped herself down next to him. He allowed his eyelids to drift downwards and he sighed again. She was always doing this, following him around. Deep down, he knew his frustration had more to do with his own problems than it did with her constant presence - more to do specifically with the denial of certain urges and feelings - but on the surface, it was easier to let the tension between them manifest itself in other ways. Bickering, prodding, frustration, and a special brand of yelling that he'd perfected over the past several years that mostly involved carefully projected anger, in place of doing, well . . . other things.

In fleeting moments, he recognized their behavior as some sort of perverse flirting ritual, but he always pushed the thought aside. Both concepts - flirting and rituals - involved more than one participant, and the idea that his subconscious might be acting of its own volition in such matters was more than a little discomfiting. No, he wasn't ever going to go there . . . not with her. Being around Vala was like being around a live wire. It was exciting but terrifying. He couldn't deny his attraction to her, at least he'd never denied it to _himself_, but the momentary physical pleasure derived from being around her didn't seem to be worth the eventual burns he might incure by, er, _touching_. He may be an explorer of galaxies, but he liked to play it safe with his personal life - it balanced things out on the cosmic scale.

Daniel slapped Vala's hand away as it reached covertly for the water laying at his side. No doubt she'd thought he wouldn't see her, but he could still detect movement from the tiny slit in between his eyelids. He never allowed himself to fully relax when on a new planet, not until they'd been formally introduced to whatever culture and people lived there.

"Ouch," she whined, playfully of course. She could never take anything seriously. "Oh, please, Daniel. Mine ran out an hour ago."

He didn't even bother opening his eyes. He already knew precisely the expression she would have on her face, the exact pursing of her lips, the gleaming of those bright blue eyes. He was too tired to berate her for not conserving her rations. He handed her the water. She bounced up again, her quick "thank you" punctuated by a light peck of her lips on his cheek, so quick he almost thought he'd imagined it. But then again, kisses from Vala weren't really a revelation. She'd kissed him the very first day they'd met, right after beating the hell out of him. Her version of foreplay, he'd guessed, and he'd been right. He'd had three agonizing (and if he was being honest, exhilarating) years of evidence to back that theory up. And it had been a hell of a kiss, no denying that.

"Don't drink it all!" he called after her.

Colonel Samantha Carter glanced behind her as she approached, no doubt to watch as Vala drained the last drop of water from Daniel's canteen, and Daniel finally opened his eyes to give her his attention.

"Anything new?" he asked.

"Not new, exactly," she said. "The readings I was picking up earlier at the gate have only intensified in the last twenty minutes. I'm nearly positive that we're going to find a settlement just over that hill."

She pointed in a southeasterly direction and waved her hand around.

"Well then, we'd best put our game faces on," said Cam, coming up from behind her, followed closely by a now-sated Vala and a stoic as always Teal'c. "Up and at 'em, Jackson," he said, reaching down a hand to pull Daniel up. Daniel took the proffered hand and groaned as his aching muscles protested the movement.

"I believe Daniel Jackson speaks for all of us," said Teal'c. "We are in need of rest, and we must replenish our stores for the hike back to the Stargate."

"One thing at a time," said Cam. "First, we've got to make friends."

"I just love meeting new people," said Vala.

Daniel didn't even try to fight the eyeroll. If he didn't get some food and rest soon, he had a feeling they were going to have a fight, and not the fun kind that ended in kisses and head-bashing.

**P4X-453, Sixteen Thirty Hours**

Sam had been right. Immediately on reaching the crest of the hill, they could see in the valley below a settlement of some kind nestled next to a small lake. It had been hard to tell from a distance, but Daniel had recognized marble enclosures and tall columns. These weren't people of thatched huts or tents, these were masons, artists by the look of it. The settlement looked beatiful in the late afternoon light, even more so an hour later when they'd been greeted by the citizens of Lyta and given fresh drinks and friendly smiles. All in all, Daniel thought, it was shaping up to be one of their more pleasant off-world encounters. There seemed to be several thousand inhabitants in the town, and according to several of the locals, it was only one of many such settlements on the planet, all accessible within a one to two day journey by horse. A tall, husky man named Telak with a wide open face escorted them to a nearby inn, chortling and slapping Cam, Teal'c and Daniel by turns on their shoulders with his beefy hands.

"It's not often we receive visitors from the Stargate," he told them. "It's always a bit of a celebration when it happens - we're so far from it now."

"The town used to be closer to the gate?" asked Daniel.

"Yes," said Telak. "It was moved several decades ago as a protective measure against the Goa'uld. It seemed to work, for the most part. We've largely been left alone since then, barring a few incidents." He shuddered slightly. "Before that, I'm afraid our little paradise was quite the choosing spot for several of the false gods. They liked the look of our women, the strength of our stock." He pounded on his chest with a thick hand. "Before we moved the settlement, our population was decimated quite frequently, by the Choosings, and by battle when we resisted." He shook his head slightly and grinned again.

"But those times are behind us now . . . ah! Here we are." He waved a hand towards an archway. "Please, make yourselves at home. I've sent a messenger to the temple. The Elders will wish to meet you, today especially."

"Is today a special day?" asked Sam.

"Today," said Telak, "Is a holy day. You are most fortunate to have come when you did. I can think of no better way to welcome you than to offer you a place in our most holy ceremony."

Daniel's interest was definitely peaked. "What is it that you are celebrating, exactly?"

"Today is the Feast of the Long Sun. It is a celebration of life and growth for our people. In more troubled times, it was a way for our people to keep hope alive, and much of the ceremony was performed out of necessity, but these days it's more celebratory. But you shall see!"

Daniel smacked his head with the palm of his hand. "Of course," he said, "The summer solstice. It's January back home, but it must be midsummer here."

Telak cocked his head in confusion.

"The longest day of the year," said Daniel.

"Oh, yes," said Telak, nodding his head. "But more later, I'm sure. For now, make yourselves comfortable, and I'll send a carriage for you soon. Most of the settlement will congregate around the Temple for the feast, and I'm sure the Elders will wish to speak with you before that happens."

Daniel had been engrossed in his conversation with Telak, he'd barely noticed Vala hanging onto his arm. She was practically vibrating as she leaned up to whisper in his ear. "A party, darling. Let's hope they'll be dancing." He had to fight a shiver as her warm breath tickled his ear, and both of them waved goodbye to Telak as he walked off to make the arrangements. A wave of cool air hit his side as Vala pulled away to bounce around Teal'c.

"Wonderful place we've found, right, Muscles?"

"Indeed," said Teal'c, as Vala's hair bounced up and down in the light. Daniel shivered again and looked away. Enough of that, he thought, and pulled his eyes away from her to go and join Sam and Mitchell in exploring their new quarters.

**P4X-453, the settlement of Lyta, Seventeen Thirty Hours**

Cam, Teal'c, Vala, Sam, and Daniel stepped one by one into the serene shade of the Lyta Temple. It was a beautiful temple. Daniel hoped relations remained good with the people of Lyta so that he might have the chance to come back here for a longer period of time and examine the place more thoroughly. The Temple itself was made out of carved marble. The walls were inlaid with elaborate patterns, half carved, half fixed in place, as though in a mosaic. Daniel had never seen anything like it. The walls seemed to be dancing. Daniel glanced upwards and saw that the ceiling of the temple, too, had been carved and that portions of the sky were visible through the carvings. It was the light coming through that was giving the dancing effect, and upon closer scrutiny, Daniel noticed that the floors of the circular main room they were entering sloped outwards, and small culverts near the walls led outside.

Telak, who was walking behind him, provided the explanation. "For when it rains," he said. Ah, thought Daniel, drainage.

The main room seemed to be offset by a large complex of smaller adjoining circular rooms, and from the outside Daniel had guessed that entire building occupied thousands and thousands of square feet. In the center of the room was crescent shaped stone table, at which six elderly citizens sat. Daniel and the rest of SG-1 took their places in front of the Elders as they had been instructed. Mitchell addressed the Elders.

"Elders," he began, "We are an exploratory team from a planet called Earth. With your permission we are here to learn about your culture and establish friendly relations between our two peoples. My name is Colonel Cameron Mitchell, and this is Colonel Samantha Carter, Dr. Daniel Jackson, Vala Mal Doran, and Teal'c." Some of The Elders visibly flinched when they saw the gold symbol etched onto Teal'c's forehead, but Cam anticipated their reaction.

"I'm not sure how long you folks have been out of the loop, but the Jaffa are a free people now, and Teal'c is a friend, and a good man."

An elderly woman sitting in the middle of the table rose to her feet and cleared her throat. Daniel could see the outline of her veins in her arms and her neck through her paper thin skin. She must have been at least ninety years old.

"Apologies, friends. I am Meera and I speak for the Elders. We are aware that the galaxy has changed much over the past few years, but memories of atrocities committed by the Goa'uld and their servants are fresh in our memory. We do not wish to offend you. In fact, we wish to accept your proposal. My fellow Elders and I have long thought it time that we reach out past the borders of our own worlds, now that the dangers of the Goa'uld have passed. We very much wish to put old hurts behind us and make new alliances."

She looked Teal'c straight in the eye and smiled. He inclined his head in gratitude. She smiled again.

"Well then," she said. "Now that we have accepted your proposal, we have a proposal of our own. As you have been informed, today is a holy day among our people. It is the day we remind ourselves that life goes on. It is a day of rebirth and renewal. The ceremonies of the Feast of the Long Sun have evolved throughout the years. I'm sure Telak has told you that we were once a people in grave trouble, and the ceremony bolstered us as a people, brought us closer together and gave us new life. Nowadays, with our population thriving, the ceremony is of no less importance to us, but it is no longer a necessity and has become more of a private affair." She cleared her throat again, and passed her eyes along the line of SG-1. Daniel couldn't help but notice that her eyes lingered on him just slightly. Daniel noted out of the corner of his eye that Vala was bouncing slightly on her heels, and her head was swiveling as she gazed in awe at the ceilings, almost as if she could already hear the music.

"We are very interested in learning more about your customs, Elder Meera," said Daniel. "Please, what is your request?"

"We would like to offer two of you the chance to take part in our central ceremony. It is a great honor, usually reserved for citizens who have distinguished themselves in some way. We feel that giving you a part of that honor will cement our new relationship in bonds of understanding and trust. Telak has explained to you the nature of the ceremony?"

"Yes, Elder Meera," said Daniel. He glanced at all the other members of SG-1, who nodded their heads at him. "We are honored that you would include us in something so important."

"How should we proceed?" asked Cam.

"Two of you have already been chosen." Meera nodded her head at two young girls who had been standing in a nearby archway. They approached her and she directed them over towards SG-1. Daniel could see they both carried delicately wrought chains of silver in their palms. The two girls stopped in front of Daniel and Vala; Daniel's heart skipped a beat in his chest. Of course it would be him and Vala. Of course.

"Please kneel," said Elder Meera. Daniel shot a quick glance to his teammates. Mitchell and Sam were grinning like fools, Teal'c as stoic as ever, but Vala was surprisingly sober. She knelt in front of the small girl, and Daniel watched as the girl laid the chain over Vala's inclined head, letting it come to rest like a crown, the pointed front of the thing resting on Vala's brow. She looked up at Daniel for an instant and that old devilish Vala gleam appeared. He knelt beside her and allowed himself to be similarly adorned. It was curiously intimate, kneeling there with Vala, and it was making his stomach churn. Meera nodded for the two of them to stand, and the two girls scampered off into the corner.

"We will prepare you for the feast," said Meera. "When the time comes, you will join the other celebrants in the garden for the presentation. Afterwards, you will be separated from the crowd and led off to your own room where you will feast in private. The feast will continue outside for most of the night. Our people will be in and out - it could become quite hectic and loud," she cleared her throat a third time, this with a mischievous smile, "it usually goes that way." Daniel felt another jolt in his stomach. "The rest of your team will be free to intermingle and feast as they wish. Mattresses and pillows will be strewn throughout the gardens and the temple, excluding our ceremonial rooms." She grinned, even more mischievous this time, reminding him weirdly of Vala. "Celebrating can be an exhausting affair. Of course, you will also be free to return to your rooms at the inn if you wish, but most people choose the Temple accommodations on feast nights, for obvious reasons."

Daniel noticed that Cam was definitely chuckling to himself, and Sam was grinning as well - he made a mental note to hit both of them at the nearest possibly opportunity. Probably Teal'c, too. The Jaffa was just better at hiding his amusement. Putting up with Vala all night, and on the night of a party no less . . . he sighed - it was just that kind of a day.

Daniel started as he felt a tiny hand cover his own. The little girl who'd crowned him pulled him to his feet and began to lead him off into one of the adjoining corridors, Vala not far behind.

"See you at the feast," she cried out to the rest of them. "Daniel, darling," she said, creeping up behind him, "This is going to be fantastic."


	2. Chapter 2

"Boys and girls in America have such a sad time together; sophistication demands that they submit to sex immediately without proper preliminary talk. Not courting talk - real straight talk about souls, for life is holy and every moment is precious."

JACK KEROUAC, _On the Road_

**P4X-453, Lyta Temple, Eighteen Hundred Hours**

Their hands were everywhere. To put it mildly, he was embarrassed as hell. He'd guessed there would be some awkwardness, but this . . . _Just suck it up, Jackson. Social and sexual mores differ from culture to culture. You know this_.

And it had all started out so promising.

He and Vala had been led from the main chamber of the Temple to a smaller antechamber, though no less beautiful - the walls danced in the same way they had in the larger room. They were greeted by priestesses or temple maids, Daniel wasn't sure of their exact titles or functions, all dressed in simple white garments a little like togas. Their arms and necks were tattooed with what looked like henna, all woven in incomprehensible patterns. They bowed to Daniel and Vala, and then proceeded to divest them of their coats, boots, socks, belts, and any other such unnecessary garments, leaving them only in their undershirts and pants.

"Please sit," said one of the girls, handing them both carved wooden tureen's of a sweet smelling drink.

"Thank you," said Vala, and proceeded to take a long swig. "Mmm," she said, after a while, "tastes like birken milk." She took another sip, and Daniel hesitantly lifted his own cup to his mouth. It tasted like rice milk and honey, with a little something alcoholic thrown in, and a spice he couldn't identify. It left a pleasant, burning aftertaste in his mouth, and he figured he probably shouldn't drink much more, but the girls insisted.

"Please, drink, drink," one particularly aggressive temple maid instructed. Daniel and Vala obligingly emptied their cups.

"Don't let me drink any more before we eat, Daniel," said Vala as she handed her now empty cup to the aggressive temple maid. "All I've eaten today is a granola bar and one of those commissary cupcakes - this drink is going to go straight to my head, and I'm guessing you don't want that . . ." She side-eyed him and scooted closer, the heat from her arms grazing his own chilly skin. The day had been warm, but it was cool inside the temple, and a breeze fluttered down from the carvings in the ceiling. She leaned in to him and lifted her feet off the ground, wiggling her bare toes in the air like a child on a swing. Goosebumps erupted all over his body, so he took the opportunity to stand and begin pacing.

"Please, sit, Daniel Jackson," said the temple maid. "This is a time of rest and contemplation, as we wait for the other celebrants."

Daniel obliged again and retook his place next to Vala, who smirked as if she knew his plan had been foiled. Vala took the opportunity to swing her feet up and plant them gently on Daniel's lap as she lay down on the padded bench. Again, he felt a warning lurch in his stomach - the same one he always felt when Vala got too close - but he decided it wasn't worth it to worry about the implications and left her feet there on his lap. Besides it was kind of nice being so close to someone in that moment. It really was a beautiful day, and the waning light was causing the dancing shadows on the walls to turn a lovely muted shade of orange. Vala hummed a little ditty to herself and stared at the ceiling. Daniel let out another sigh, but this time it was of contentment. He allowed himself to close his eyes as he leaned back against the seat cushions.

Their little moment of peace was interrupted minutes later by the arrival of the other celebrants, who were soon treated to the same ministrations Daniel and Vala had just been through. Daniel watched as they were stripped of their outer clothes and one by one drained their wooden cups. There were three other couples, three men and three women.

"Interesting," Daniel mused aloud.

Vala's head swiveled around to watch him as he spoke. "What's interesting, darling?"

"One man, one woman, in pairs . . . a celebration of life . . ." he trailed off.

"What are you thinking, Daniel?" Vala sat up, worried at the tone of his voice, instinctively reacting to its uncertainty.

"It's nothing," he said, trying to shake off the nervous feeling that had suddenly come over him. "I just suddenly realized we have no idea what we're getting into."

Vala placed a hand on his thigh just above his knee. "These people seem lovely, Daniel. I think we should just relax and enjoy the special treatment. It's not every day one gets treated like royalty." He shot her a glare. "Well," she said, "I'm pretty used to it, but it's a new thing for you." She removed her hand, and again he felt the lack of warmth, the inrushing cold that comes when heat is taken away. For a fleeting instant, he wished to pull her down into his lap. It's not like she hadn't been there before . . . but his thoughts were interrupted, thank God, by the temple maids. One per couple, they approached. The aggressive one motioned for Daniel and Vala to stand, and so they did.

"Face each other and hold hands," she whispered, and Daniel saw that the other couples were already doing so. Before he could move, Vala reached out and pulled him towards her, hooking her fingers through his. He looked down as she looked up, and his heart jumped into his throat. The air seemed to be humming, and that word "intimate" flashed into his mind again, the same as it had as they'd knelt together in the Temple. The feeling only became more pronounced as Daniel realized the humming was actually a soft sort of melodic chant coming from the temple maids; all six of them had lifted their eyes and their voices to the sky. Daniel didn't understand the words, but he got the sentiment. He was so lost in the beauty of the moment that he barely registered the squeeze of Vala's hands on his.

And then it was over, and he was being led with the other three men to one side of the antechamber, and Vala towards the other, with the women. "You will see her soon, Daniel Jackson," said the temple maid. "Come." He followed.

**P4X-453, Lyta Temple, Eighteen Thirty Hours**

More temple maids had arrived as he and the other men were led into yet another ante-chamber, this one very much resembling a bathhouse of some kind. The room was filled with a warm humidity, and he was surprised when not one but three temple maids began to undress him. He was so surprised, in fact, that he said nothing, only watched as small hands pulled his undershirt over his head, unzipped his BDUs and pulled them down his legs, and finally as they hooked under the waistband of his boxers, pulling them smoothly down and off. He stepped out of them without having to be told, but he felt exposed standing there completely naked with three strange women. It helped only slightly that none of them seemed to be embarrassed in the slightest. One took his hand and led him over to a sunken tub, directing him to sink down into its warm, bubbly depths. It was ridiculously pleasurable to sit in the warm bubbles, and he felt less exposed covered in three feet of water.

But the girls didn't just leave him to soak. One of them padded off on some unknown errand, but two stayed behind: one entered the bath with him, still fully clothed and began scrubbing him with something like a sponge and a lightly scented soap. The other took up a position behind him and began lathering his head, working her fingers in practiced patterns over his scalp. It was a bit of a sensory overload, and it was all Daniel could do not to scream at them to stop. He forced himself to take a deep breath and take the experience for what it was.

"Relax," said the one in the bath with him, putting her soapy hand in a comforting gesture on his face, and then returning to her task. He tried to take her advice.

The soothing motions ended just as he was getting used to them, however, and he was told to stand. They doused him with warm water. The water flowed from his head down to the tub, taking the soap and whatever else they'd scraped off of him with it. He felt like he'd been rubbed raw, and they still weren't done.

Out of the tub again, and this time there was to be no hiding under bubbly waters. All three of them went to work now, rubbing him down with oils and lotions of some sort, every inch of his skin. Soft hands pressed over his calf muscles, his abdomen, his arms and knees, his ass and the crease underneath. They burrowed into his nooks and crannies, under his arms, in between fingers and toes, into the creases between sensitive spaces: where his thighs touched his balls, under the globes of his ass. Everywhere. His face was flush with embarrassment and pleasure. No one had ever touched him like this, let alone three someones. Just what exactly were they preparing him for anyway?

Daniel was well aware of the spiritual connection between the body and religion, especially in a pre-industrialized society such as this one. It was likely they believed they were purifying him, but purifying him for what? He also had a growing suspicion that the flush of his cheeks wasn't entirely unrelated to whatever had been in that drink they'd been given.

Finally, the rubbing seemed to be at an end. They led him over to a pedestal in another room. Here they patted his hair dry with a soft cloth. They also treated him to a rather close shave, a skill they seemed particularly good at. Daniel glanced quickly to his left and noted that he could see the other three men standing on pedestals of their own. Finally, mercifully, they began to cover him up. He wasn't given undergarments, only a pair of thin and very soft linen pants that ended a few inches under his calves. They were held up by a drawstring. For a shirt he was given a thin wraparound tunic that left his arms bare. The hems of both garments were threaded with shining silver. Daniel couldn't help but wonder at the craftsmanship. They re-crowned him with the silver chain, which had been removed with his other clothes before the bath, and as a final touch, seemed to outline his eyes in a brownish kohl.

He caught a glimpse of himself in a mirror as they led him back out to the first chamber, the one with the singing. He felt like he was seeing another man entirely - like one Daniel Jackson had gone in, and another had returned in his place. Only this one was scrubbed raw and sent out into the world, his senses reeling. And what is the first thing he claps his eyes on as he enters the chamber?

Vala.

He hadn't stopped to think while it was happening to him, but she must have been going through something very similar. The thought made another flush of heat rise to his cheeks, and Vala herself didn't help. She looked stunning.

Her skin was a glowing white in the fading light, with pale pink undertones shimmering underneath. The temple maids had straightened her normally wavy hair into sheets of black thickness. Her eyes, too, were rimmed in kohl, and it made the blue of them stand out. They'd dressed her in the same material he'd been given, only hers was formed in the shape of an ankle length dress, gathered and tied under her breasts. The whole thing was held up with that same silvery material crisscrossed over her cleavage. It was then he noticed just exactly how thin the material of their clothes was - it was practically sheer standing there in the sunlight. He could clearly see the dark round outlines of her nipples pressing against the fabric. He forced himself to look upwards and meet her eyes. He wondered how much of himself was visible.

His eyes met hers for a brief second. She was uncharacteristically calm - he wasn't sure if that was a bad or a good thing, but he was reassured when she reached him and gave him a small smirk; some of the intimacy was released from the air. They were in this together, after all.

**P4X-453, Lyta Temple Gardens, Nineteen Thirty Hours**

The sun had finally set.

The presentation of the celebrants had taken only about ten minutes, but it had felt like a lifetime to Daniel. He could feel thousands of eyes on him, watching with interest, curiosity, excitement, reverence . . . and in the case of his friends, amusement, he was sure. He hadn't tried to look for them in the crowds. He didn't want to see himself reflected in their eyes. This was embarrassing enough. And yet . . . part of the reason for his embarrassment was the intimacy of the thing. There was that word again. Part of him, deep down, was enjoying all of this, reveling in the sensual experiences. It was touching that place in him he'd abandoned when he'd left the planes of Ascension behind so many years before. He was feeling embarrassed, yes, but also nourished, in body and soul.

After the presentation, he and Vala had been led to their own private quarters. As they walked, he could hear the revelry beginning outside. The clanging of instruments, the rumble of thousands of voices, the stomping of dancing feet. And yet he and Vala were separate from all of that, and aside from consuming the mountains of food they had been presented with, they had absolutely no idea what was expected of them. And it was a hell of a lot of food. There was a low level table next to a west-facing arch, which was covered in flowing curtains. There were no doors in the chamber, only flowing draperies that could be pushed back and forth, and the beautiful marble walls. The table was surrounded by soft brightly colored cushions. Daniel and Vala tentatively took a seat next to one another when prompted, and then waited as their drinks were poured. The silence was broken when Vala's stomach let out a ferocious growl, and both of them allowed themselves the luxury of nervous laughter.

"Well, come on, Daniel," said Vala. "Dig in."

"Hear, hear," said Daniel, reaching across the table to sample all of the delicacies before him.

There was roast meat of every shape and flavor: grilled, braised, smoked. Some of it was glazed and some of it was covered in thick gravy. There were piles of roasted vegetables of every shape and size, and slice after slice of candied fruits. Bowls of steaming grains accompanied the meats. There was hot, fresh bread that crinkled when Daniel broke it open with his thumb. He groaned in obvious pleasure as the hot food hit his stomach. He hadn't known how hungry he'd been until the food had been right in front of him.

The temple maid who had poured their drink - more of that heady sweet milk - cleared her throat. "Please, eat and drink all you like. If you need anything, simply ring the bell, otherwise we will be back in the morning to serve you breakfast."

"Breakfast?" asked Daniel.

"Yes, Daniel Jackson, the ceremony will last all night. Your sleeping accommodations are over there." She gestured to a large, very fluffy looking mattress that rested underneath a canopy of sheer curtains. She bowed long and low and made to leave, saying on her way out, "May the long sun bless your short night." And then she was gone.

"Well," said Vala. "That was weird."

"Agreed," said Daniel, "Are you going to eat that candied plum thing?" In answer, she plopped it onto his plate and he eagerly took a bite. "This is the best meal I've ever tasted," he said, in between long swigs of drink. He felt unhinged, but in a good way. Even with all the food, the drink seemed to be going to his head rather quickly. But it didn't feel like any sort of drunk he'd ever experienced before. His head felt clear and his hands were steady, but he found himself scooting closer and closer to Vala, reaching over spontaneously to steal food from her plate. Holding a chocolate covered berry to her lips for her to take a bite, just to see what would happen. The last rays of light fell on Vala's face and made it glow, and as the sun sank, it was the soft flicker of lamp and candlelight that replaced it. They were alone in the dark, and for once, Daniel wasn't nervous at all. He polished off the last of his drink, making sure to catch every last drop. Vala did the same.

"It's gone, Daniel," she said, pouting a little. He couldn't resist - and briefly, God what was happening to him? - he poked his index finger onto the fullness of her bottom lip, just because he wanted to. The pout disappeared and Vala's smile turned wicked. "Daniel," she said, "What are you doing?"

"I have no idea," he said, enjoying the feel of her breath on his finger. Reluctantly he moved it away, but only so he could scoot closer to her. They were much too far apart. The world was fast fading away from him, and the only thing that seemed to matter anymore was burrowing towards the only warm light in the room, the one coming from Vala. Should Vala be glowing? His face was much too close to hers, and a part of him - a very small part that still understood that what was happening to him should not be happening, could not be happening without some kind of outside influence. But she was there and she was warm, and full of light. And suddenly he wasn't hungry at all anymore, at least, not for food. He was consumed with a new kind of hunger, one that emanated up from depth of his belly, filling his lungs and his diaphragm with need, constricting the muscles of his throat. His face was mere centimeters away from hers. He could see the deep navy flecks in the middle of the pale blue lakes of her irises. Time slowed to a crawl as she closed the distance between them, pressing her soft lips against the corner of his mouth, and then sliding them onto his waiting lips. She pulled his bottom lip lightly into her mouth, sucking and then letting go. Each little movement sent tiny ripples of pleasure all along his skin, little lines of electricity running from his mouth all the way to the top of his head.

And then they both stopped as if on cue. Vala pulled away, and Daniel barely registered the meaning of her dilated eyes. Neither of them said anything - they were no longer capable of speech. They just looked at one another, breathing into the air. And then again, they moved as one. Vala launched herself at Daniel, and he barely had time to react as her legs straddled his lap and her mouth latched onto his neck, just above his carotid artery. He grappled with the table shoving the empty dishes onto the floor with a crash and propped Vala up on the now empty table.

His mind now empty of all thoughts but consuming her, every inch of her from top to bottom, he managed to untangle her arms from around his neck. She was like a wild thing, her eyes flashing, burning him to a crisp, but she let him go. Let him kneel in front of her as she sat on the low table. Let him run his hands slowly up under her skirt, lifting it up, up, up above her knees. The skin of her thighs was emanating heat, and the higher his hands reached, the warmer it got. They locked eyes and simply watched one another as Daniel made his slow ascent. When he was half-way up her thighs, she reached behind her neck to untie the straps of her dress, letting it fall from her breasts. Daniel's breath caught in his throat - her breasts had been on display all night, but there was something about that gesture, that falling dress, that it made it better. Her nipples were lighter than they'd looked through the sheer material of her dress. He fought the base urge to grab one in his mouth or with his hands. Later, his brain told him, and he began moving his hands up her legs once more. He balanced her knees in the crook of his arms and ducked his head under the hem of her dress. She let out a short gasp as his mouth found her most intimate place, threading her fingers in his hair and breathing heavy.

As his lips found their new target, both of them shed the last of their human selves and became something else, something raw. No longer Dr. Daniel Jackson or Vala Mal Doran, these were the things that lived inside them waiting to be let out, just once. These were creatures of pure instinct, and tonight, they only had one thing on their minds.


End file.
